Selling out SG50

As Singapore celebrates its 50th year of independence, it is hard to miss the SG50 moniker and its accompanying circular logo. Devised specially to bring this year’s festivities under one branding umbrella, the red circle has been used on every imaginable product, from bicycles to bubble tea cups.

While some manufacturers were content to add the logo to their package designs, others went as far as to alter the products themselves. The one that took the cake — literally — was the SG50-themed fish cake, which had a cut-out in the shape of “50” at its center, as well as a slightly higher price tag. After making its rounds on social media, it earned the merchant a barrage of criticism for blatantly cashing in on the nation’s Jubilee celebrations.

What was conceptualised as a symbol of national pride has now become a marketing gimmick. With the focus shifted from celebration to commercialism, Singaporeans are likely to remember more gaffes than accolades when reminiscing on SG50 after 2015.

A logo for all to use

The campaign started out with seemingly good intentions. The original design of the red-and-white logo was made simple and customisable so that Singaporeans could use it for their own projects and celebrations.

“The logo is designed to target a more generic audience, with a neutral look that will not alienate youth or turn older people away,” said Jeremy Ng, 22, freelance designer.

The organisers hoped that the adaptable logo would encourage Singaporeans to use it to connect personally with the national festivities.

“My greatest hope for SG50 is that it is a truly inclusive celebration,” said Minister Heng Swee Keat, who chairs the SG50 committee.

SG50 overload

In the spirit of marking milestones, the logo appears on official government documents issued this year, such as driving licenses and birth certificates, as well as materials for many events not officially endorsed by the SG50 committee.

The #SG50 hashtag is also circulating widely online, with local Instagrammers tagging it on their photos in hope of reaching a wider audience for their work. Twitter hopped onto the bandwagon on 3 Aug with the launch of two special emojis, which would be added to tweets tagged #SG50 and #Singapore.

Singaporeans respond

All the same, not everyone is buying blindly into the SG50 hype. When the logo began to appear on one too many unrelated products and promotions, Singaporeans spoke up to oppose the commercialism.

In February this year, the hashtag #simisaialsoSG50 surfaced as netizens took turns to poke fun at bizarre SG50 products. A blog, simisaialsosg50. wordpress.com, was also set up to curate the most outrageous entries and encourage readers to vote for examples they thought were worthy uses of the campaign.

Cultural programmes such as Esplanade’s 2015 event lineup were generally considered deserving of the SG50 label. The Concert Series in the Park in March this year featured local singers like Kit Chan and convinced 70 per cent of readers to approve of its SG50 event status.

However, netizens voted down NTU’s use of the logo to highlight its status as “top among the world’s universities under 50.” Plastic manufacturer Seow Khim Polythelene Co Pte Ltd (SKP)’s logo-festooned website was also given the thumbs-down by more than 90 per cent of readers. The weak link between the celebratory SG50 sentiment and the promotional intent of the two organisations may have contributed to the general disapproval of the way they employed the logo.

Patriotism endures

Some Singaporeans chose to look past the commercialism and support the SG50 campaign in their own way, as did Mr Foo Suan Wang, who referenced it when expressing his pride for his fellow countrymen.

The Facebook user captured and uploaded footage of more than 30 passers-by working together to lift a truck off a trapped man.

“Accident outside my office… Man screaming and then all walks of life came and help… Well done Singapore,” Mr Foo wrote in the video caption before tagging it with #SG50.

The year in retrospect

At the end of the day, memories of this year’s far-reaching SG50 campaign are likely to endure, reinforced by numerous events — planned as well as unforeseen — that occurred this year.

The passing of former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew was a somber time for Singaporeans to reflect on their national heritage.

Singapore took pride in national achievements such as the inscription of the Botanic Gardens as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage Site. In addition, the nation pulled together in June to make the 28th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games a success, with 17,000 volunteers assisting to ensure that the event ran smoothly.

Coupled with the many incidents of 2015, SG50 looks set to leave a deep impression on Singapore’s collective memory beyond our nation’s Jubilee year.